The present invention relates to the presentation or display of information, and more particularly to a system and method for presentation integrity of information accessible by multiple users or requesters, for content control and for deterring unauthorized access or use.
There are often circumstances or situations when multiple requesters or users may access or view common information or data. If the information or data may be accessed or presented in different formats to the requestors or users, some of the requestors or users may infer different and possibly erroneous conclusions from the information or data as presented. This can lead to confusion, misunderstandings, delays in coordination and similar results that may cause a negative impact under some circumstances, such as situations where multiple agencies, organizations or entities have individual and either overlapping or non-contiguous responsibilities for planning, coordination and consequence management. Examples of such situations may include military operations, civil emergencies, wild fires, environmental crises, law enforcement and drug interdiction, business activities and the like. Accordingly, presentation integrity or presenting information in the same format or in a common format in some situations or under some circumstances may be desirable or important.
The common data or information may be accessed or transmitted electronically to multiple users or requestors, for example via networks, such as intranets or the Internet, or via other communication media or channels. With respect to the intranet or Internet paradigm, a user may access shared information via a web browser, such as Netscape® Microsoft® Internet Explorer or the like. Browser settings of the individual users may modify the display defaults of the information provider to present or display idiosyncratic versions of the information. Accordingly, the information presented on some users' displays may be different and even somewhat contradictory to the information presentation on displays of other users. As previously discussed, the presentation differences may cause confusion, misunderstanding, delays in coordination and other possible negative results. There may also be other influences that may affect the presentation of information between different users, such as insecure communication networks, media or channels that permit information to be tampered.
In addition to issues related to presentation integrity or presenting data or information in a common format or the same format between different users in some circumstances, there may be situations when presenting the information content in different formats to different users may be desirable. For example, some content or portions of materials or works, such as motion pictures, video games, music, software and the like, may be objectionable to some users and unsuitable for others, such as children. Such materials may be distributed or available on Compact Disk Read-Only Media (CDROM), Digital Video Disks (DVD) or via other communications media or channels, such as cable, satellite or downloadable via a network. One solution is to generate different versions for different audiences or markets. However, this involves creating, reproducing, distributing and selling each version on physically distinct media and diligent administration and control over access and distribution of the different versions. Such measures may not be practical or economical and may still be ineffective in controlling access under some circumstances and there is the burden of dealing with multiple versions.
Another issue with controlling access and use of information, especially proprietary and copyrighted information and materials, such as software, motion pictures, video games, music and the like, arises because much of these materials and information may be readily accessible via different media and can be easily reproduced without the owners or licensors authorization. This ready accessibility along with the proliferation of devices to copy or duplicate such materials has made controlling unauthorized copying, access and use difficult. Encryption may be used to protect such materials in transit to an authorized user or licensee and to prevent misappropriation or theft when stored on a system. However, once the materials are decrypted, they may be replicated and the unencrypted versions distributed without proof of the authorized user.